obvious sign

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "obvious sign" is correct and can be used in written English.
It can be used when you want to refer to something that is clearly visible and serves as a form of communication. For example: The "Stop" sign at the intersection was an obvious sign that drivers needed to come to a complete halt.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

There was no obvious sign of pursuit.

The Guardian

There is no obvious sign of injury.

The Guardian

There was no obvious sign of cruelty.

The Guardian

The plummeting bond market is one obvious sign.

The Economist

This wine shows no obvious sign of the vintage, though.

The New York Times - Food

Yet there is no obvious sign of increased security.

The Economist

The most obvious sign of strain is in his hair.

The New York Times - Magazine

This is, of course, the most obvious sign of depression.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

The most obvious sign of this is the changing nature of bank branches.

The Economist

The pairs of dashes in successive sentences are just the most obvious sign of trouble.

The New York Times

The most obvious sign is the uproar about jobs being "outsourced" to India and China.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Pair the phrase with a specific prepositional phrase (e.g. "of trouble", "of growth", "of distress") to provide immediate context for the reader.

Common error

Avoid using intensifiers like "very" or "extremely" before "obvious sign". Since "obvious" already implies a high degree of clarity, these modifiers often result in unnecessary wordiness that weakens the impact of your statement.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "obvious sign" functions as a noun phrase consisting of an attributive adjective and a head noun. It typically serves as the subject or direct object in a sentence to introduce empirical evidence. According to Ludwig AI, it is used to denote a relationship between a visible marker and an underlying condition.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

65%

Science

25%

Wiki

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Academia

3%

Social Media

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "obvious sign" is a highly reliable and versatile linguistic tool used to point out clear evidence. Data from Ludwig shows it is favored by world-class publications like The New York Times and The Economist because it provides a succinct way to present proof. Whether you are describing a medical symptom, a market trend or a social change, Ludwig AI confirms that this phrase is grammatically correct and universally understood. While it is rarely necessary to intensify it with extra adverbs, it remains one of the most effective ways to introduce a logical conclusion based on observable facts.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

clear indication

More formal and commonly used in analytical or academic writing.

unmistakable sign

Stronger emphasis on the impossibility of misinterpreting the evidence.

telltale sign

Adds an idiomatic nuance suggesting the sign reveals a hidden truth or secret.

manifest sign

Slightly more literary or old-fashioned but maintains high formality.

glaring sign

Indicates the sign is so obvious it is almost impossible to ignore or is distracting.

evident signal

Suggests a more active or intentional form of communication.

noticeable symptom

Specific to medical, psychological or problematic contexts.

visible proof

Shifts the focus from a mere indicator to conclusive evidence.

overt manifestation

Highly formal and academic, referring to the outward display of an internal state.

discernible clue

Implies the sign requires some level of observation to be recognized.

FAQs

How do I use "obvious sign" in a sentence?

You can use it to highlight evidence, for example: "The sudden drop in temperature was an "obvious sign" that a storm was approaching." It frequently appears in both the subject and predicate of sentences in Ludwig examples.

What can I say instead of "obvious sign"?

Depending on your context, you can use alternatives like "<a href="/s/clear+indication" target="_blank" rel="alternative">clear indication", "<a href="/s/telltale+sign" target="_blank" rel="alternative">telltale sign" or "<a href="/s/evident+manifestation" target="_blank" rel="alternative">evident manifestation".

Is "obvious sign" too informal for scientific papers?

No, it is perfectly acceptable. Scientific journals like Science Magazine and Nature often use "obvious sign" to describe observable phenomena or experimental results that do not require complex interpretation.

What is the difference between "obvious sign" and "unmistakable sign"?

While both imply clarity, an "<a href="/s/unmistakable+sign" target="_blank" rel="alternative">unmistakable sign" suggests there is absolutely no possibility of misinterpretation, whereas "obvious sign" simply means it is easy for anyone to see.